Covid-19 kills one person every 44 seconds globally: WHO

The World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that coronavirus will not just fade away and one person is dying every 44 seconds due to the infection.

Speaking of the world returning to normal activities, he said the global decline reported in the number of Covid-19 cases and related deaths is encouraging. "But there is no guarantee these trends will persist. The most dangerous thing is to assume they will."

"The number of weekly reported deaths may have dropped by more than 80% since February, but even so, last week one person died with Covid-19 every 44 seconds," he added.

He emphasised that these deaths are avoidable. The UN body will publish a set of six short policy briefs next week, outlining the essential actions that all governments can take to reduce transmission and save lives. Briefs will cover essential elements of testing, clinical management, vaccination, infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement, and managing the infodemic.

"You might be tired of hearing me say the pandemic is not over. But I will keep saying it until it is," he said during a regular briefing.

He added that the WHO hopes that governments will use its briefs to reassess and readjust their policies to protect those most at risk, treat those who need it and save lives. "The pandemic is always evolving. So must the response, in every country."

India recorded 4,417 Covid-19 cases yesterday which has taken the tally to 4,44,66,862. This is the lowest in three months. Active cases have declined to 52,336. With 23 fatalities reported yesterday, the death toll rose to 5,28,030.